Rise of Miraak
by TheUndyingCrystal
Summary: Months after the Enclave took total control over Gaia, yet another story began. A legend, so long forgotten, of a warrior that could rip the very souls of his opponents away, one who had power over the mind, rises. A single young man, chosen by fate, leads the only resistance capable of fighting Miraak the Betrayer. :Is a prequel and side-story to K Entertainment's NMSI 2:
1. Krosis

_In the land of Spira, there is an old legend._

_One that predates Yevon._

_One that predates even Zanarkand._

_The land was once barbaric._

_Destructive._

_Chaotic._

_Under the control of great flying beasts._

_Dragons._

_With Words of Power and their own immortal and everlasting souls, they enslaved the growing human race._

_For centuries man languished under their rule._

_Until the first of the Dragonborn came._

_With the body of a man, and the soul of a dragon, this unique individual sought power. And he gained it._

_He had the power to absorb souls, enabling him to truly kill dragons._

_Learning the language of dragons with ease, he gained truly immense influence and power._

_Once serving the dragons as a priest and loyal servant, he turned upon them._

_In rage over this betrayal, hundreds of dragons confronted him._

_Though he struck down dozens upon dozens, he was overwhelmed, his temple ravaged into nothing but ruin. He himself waited for the death so anticipated by the dragons._

_It was only when the ancient and primordial deity of knowledge, destiny, and fate, whose name is known to nobody now, called him._

_Saved by this deity, he was sealed away in the realm of Apocrypha, the teachings of Yevon now calling it the Farplane._

_Serving the deity, he once again betrayed his master._

_Stealing the secrets of the ancients themselves, he destroyed the deity and absorbed his soul as well._

_However, this deity was clever in the end. Knowing that his defeat drew near, he allowed himself to be struck down…but the betrayer was cast into the deepest depths of Apocrypha._

_And so time passed._

_The dragons died out, and humanity came into dominance._

_The legends of old were forgotten, replaced by Yevon and Sin._

_Heroes who slew the dragons and saved humanity…replaced by summoners like Yunalesca, who died for a mere glimmer of hope known as the Calm._

_But the betrayer still existed._

_While sealed away, he further buried himself in knowledge._

_However, nothing he discovered led to any hint as to his salvation._

_The only way to escape was to have a part of himself in the living world as well._

_Until the arrival of Sin._

_When the thousands of innocents died in Zanarkand in those short hours, he was reawakened. As were his ambitions._

_Consuming the souls of those who died, he discovered a way to escape the Farplane._

_He needed a Fayth._

_If he could consume one, he would be able to project himself through to the world of the living. Once he did that, all it would take is a visit to the Farplane._

_And the betrayer would be free._

_Immortal and powered with thousands of souls, he would be able to singlehandedly conquer the world, as he once desired before._

_The day of his release was approaching._

_His loyal followers, long ago influenced through their visits to the Farplane, would be able to bring him his Fayth._

_And thus, Lord Miraak would finally be free._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

_**It's been a real long while since I've talked here, so I might as well.**_

_**Due to my co-writer Kel's…change of plans as regarding to our little story, I'm moving everything ahead of schedule.**_

_**If you play Skyrim, then you likely have heard of Miraak the First Dragonborn.**_

_**The reason as to why this story is not listed under Crossovers is because of two irritatingly simple answers: for some reason, my computer refuses to cooperate when I try to put crossover stuff up most of the time, and because it is very unlikely anyone is going to find my story under FFX-Skyrim, because I don't imagine there are a lot of those stories.**_

_**Anyway, the main plotline for this is going to be very complicated as compared to Eye for an Eye.**_

_**Most of the story focuses around some of his specific Cult members, who are the most responsible for bringing him back.**_

_**In case any of you were wondering, this is not in relation to Omnem's story. This is a different Spira, so don't expect him or anything relating to him to show up.**_

_**Anyway, as I said, this story is going to be complicated.**_

_**Miraak's cult isn't the only one around, and when the Fayth gets stolen…all hell's gonna break loose.**_

_**Coupled with the actions of Kel's storyline, this could get very, very dicey.**_

_**As of now, I have three other factions to reveal to you, because again, it's a complicated story, and it also helps me to remember to write it down.**_

_**The Lennox: One of the older yet more secretive groups in Spira, the Lennox are responsible for keeping the ancient knowledge safe. They are heavily neutral representatives of the Goddess of Harmony, Cosmos. If anyone knows anything about Miraak and his return, it'll be them. Based in Luca, and led by Grandmaster Jynna Lennox.**_

_**The Kliva: A very, very large and again…very, very influential cult stemming from the darkest depths and the brightest heights in Bevelle, they worship an ancient demon called Nephis, who is a paragon of the God of Discord, Chaos. Unlike Miraak's preference for order and control, the Kliva are chaotic, unstable, and dangerous. They are singlehandedly responsible for almost all organized crime in the world, and thus are a major headache towards Yevonites. Their leaders are the Darkseeker Darius, the Alsaceseeker Alia, and the Rageseeker Regent.**_

_**The Guild of Prinnies: Based in Kilika, and in "Fort Fish", a force of three thousand prinnies are squeezed in with each other. Despite the fact they're a bunch of idiotic prinnies, they are also in possession of a strange map. The map in particular leads to a tomb full of "gold, gil, rubies, loot, and more fish than a prinny could shake a machete at, dood". Although, the map in question is drawn on a Luca cafe napkin, so the legitimacy of the map is in question. "Led" by "King Prinnip of Spiradonia", all they do is eat fish all day and causing ridiculous fires that end up causing massive damage to the forest.**_

_**I hope I didn't bore you to death with the long, long intro, but it needed to be done.**_

_**Anyway, before I finish up for this gloriously boring first chapter, I want to offer my not-so-trademarked warning as per the usual.**_

_**There's some "disturbing" stuff that'll happen in this. To list a few under that description, sexual themes, extreme violence, swearing, occasionally some major drug themes, and gore.**_

_**You've been warned.**_

_**Anyway, I hope you enjoy my new story, and that it brings another interesting story into the FFX fandom.**_


	2. Vokun

It was nearing noon when I opened my eyes.

Damn it. I had slept in late again.

I leaned up, slipping on my blindfold before getting out of bed.

The Reaping was in less than an hour. Alastair would not be pleased if I was late. And neither would **he**.

I washed my face, and sighed. Today was not a good day for me, and I hated going to ritual meetings when I was having a bad day.

Dressing in my usual clothes, which consisted of a black and red set of armored robes, dull gold horned gloves and boots that were simple, but were efficient and protective. Unlike the others, I was a Priestess, so I didn't don the dragon-skull mask that most of the others did.

Instead, I wore my blindfold, and that had nothing to do with the Cult.

My eyes were naturally blind, but I had the ability to see other things instead.

Quickly walking out of my room, having washed my extremely short black hair, I slip out an amulet adorned with symbol of the Cult, I uttered a few words into it, and promptly disappeared in a flash of green, leaving behind nothing.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I breathed, the dusty air of the Temple greeting me.

The majority of the Temple of Miraak was collapsed, and we only ever really used the Great Hall in our meetings.

"Ah…Dani…I had begun to wonder if you had lost your way." Alastair, the leader of our Cult, greeted me. He was middle-aged, had black hair combed back, and wore a long set of trench coat-like robes, and gloves and boots that looked similar to mine. He had these unique glowing golden eyes, signifying his intense connection to Lord Miraak.

"My apologies, Grandmaster. I slept in. Allow me to take my place so we may proceed with the ritual." I bowed in apologetic prose and took my place as he nodded.

"…Welcome, my friends…it has been a year since we last have seen each other, and the time has now come for the Ritual of Hunger. Our Lord Miraak requires a soul, and he shall speak to us directly." Alastair announced slowly and deliberately, and I took the opportunity to glance at my fellow cultists.

Thirty of us, not including Alastair and I. Our numbers have grown.

All were dressed in the Cult robes, and their masks prevented anyone from seeing what was behind them…except for me and Alastair. My eyes could see right through the mask and allowed me to see their faces.

On the other hand, in front of Alastair a stone sacrificial altar was placed. On this altar was a young woman, barely twenty or so, completely naked, and entirely helpless. I realized that I hadn't listened to most of the speech Alastair was giving.

"…In exchange for the soul of a virgin, our Lord Miraak will speak to us and give us the salvation we need. Allow us to begin!" He finished, and I stepped forward at his cue, knowing what to do from years of experience.

Approaching the altar, I began chanting.

"Only in vokun do we see the krosis of life, and that only in our morokei Lord do we find salvation…" I slid out a long black knife with a curved blade, my fellow cultists joining me in the chanting.

"Allow us to sacrifice this human, so that our lord may take nakriin on the blasphemers!" I continued, holding the knife over her.

Her expression was one of terror and fright.

"NAKRIIN! KROSIS! VOKUN! MOROKEI!" The chant heightened in volume, echoing throughout the room.

"Morokei krosis…" I whispered, plunging the knife into her breast and immediately killing her.

The room fell silent, the echoes dying down, and I opened my eyes.

White energy was flowing out of her body, and towards the end of the altar.

"…_Another soul…you have served me well, Alastair_." Lord Miraak, although in a incorporeal and ghost-like form, stood before us as he absorbed the sacrificed girl's soul. Garbed in armored robes, dark blue and gold, with golden shoulderplates, rigid gloves and boots, and finally his Mask. Golden, concealing his face and with the cloak concealing his body, it was a magnificent piece of craftsmanship that no smith or craft could hope to replicate today.

Even ethereal, his presence was…staggering.

"Yes, my lord…I am pleased to serve." Alastair answered, bowing deeply.

"…_However…your purpose has long passed. The Blood Moon is nigh. Surely you know of the Necromancer that is plaguing Spira right now, do you not?_" Miraak suddenly changed tone, and approached Alastair.

"Y-Yes, my lord, we have heard rumors of this Necromancer." He answered shakily, shivering under Miraak's presence.

"_Yet you have done nothing about it? Undead have risen, the town of Kilika has fallen! My source of power in Apocrypha weakens because of this!_" Miraak spoke, and although his tone was calm and the same deep metallic-echoed voice as before, fury edged every word. I gasped silently as objects in the room began floating, even my own knife sliding from the sheath and floating in front of me.

"_You are unworthy of leading my Cult, Alastair Crescent Sinclair…I have returned, and although weakened, I am the Dragonborn! I am the First Chosen of CHAOS! I AM MIRAAK!_" In a unbridled rage, he gripped the old man's throat and lifted him several feet off the ground, despite his ghost-like ethereal form.

"M-My lord…! P-Please have m-mercy!" Alastair begged pathetically for his life, but Miraak ignored his pleas for forgiveness.

"_I am finished with you, you weak human. Your soul, among with billions of others, will be the ark that sustains me!_" A sickening crunching sound was heard, and I steadied my breath as even my blind eyes saw the very soul of Alastair, our former leader, being ripped from his body and absorbed by Miraak.

However, something happened nobody had expected. With earthquakes that would panic towns and level cities, the entire temple began shaking, the earth itself agonized as the temple's former master returned to life, his imprisonment in Apocrypha, or the Farplane, ended finally for the first time in eons.

The last thing my old friend and leader saw, was the ethereal form of Lord Miraak become corporeal, our master free and powerful once again.

"_Such a pathetic little creature…blinded by his own self-importance. Far from worthy to lead my Cult._" Miraak spoke, and turned to us.

At almost eight feet tall, he towered over us and exuded confidence and power.

"_Who…is next in line to lead?_" The minute he asked, every single cult member stepped back, except for me.

I looked up, and I shuddered. Even through my blindness, I could see his sheer power like a sun in the darkness, painful to even gaze upon.

"I…I am, my lord." I regained composure, and I reclaimed my floating dagger.

"_Dani…ah…the Lorekeeper, yes…I have watched you for a long time. Bonaar, yes…alok, kiir. You have much ahkriin…your hevno nature impressive….your bahlok for bah awing even to me. Perhaps my cult is not as krent as I expected._" He studied me, pacing around me steadily and calmly, as I kept my composure with difficulty.

"Y-Yes, sahrot sah. The Nahgahdinok, I know who you speak of. The one humans call the Necromancer. Maar consumes the land, as do the vokul energies of this shalo vulom." I answered steadily, thinking back to my studies.

"_Ah…I am much impressed. You have studied the dovahgolz, the legendary stone upon which the dovah language is written. Alastair beyns the teachings, choosing dukaan over the bah that the Nahgahdinok has earned. You will aak my cult, and become the Al of this Nahgahdinok. The dilon will remain dead, as they should. Find the golz of the feykro._" He proclaimed admirably, and gave me a strange round stone. Black and noticeably darkened with shadow energy, the faint glow of red energy made the orb flash every few seconds.

"What is this golz?" I asked curiously.

"_It is a Heartstone. Seek the Feykro Golz. The Tree Stone, as the humans call it. Place the Heartstone within it, and our daal will begin._" He answered, and turned to the altar. Holding out his hand, the altar cracked, throwing the sacrifice's body aside, as well as Alastair's.

"What will the Heartstone do?" I asked again.

"_All who draal at the Golz will find their will krent…their mind forfeit to me. Their sense of geinmaar will be lost. They will serve me, and their first task will be to rebuild my fallen temple! This kruziik throne of mine will be my throne as I conquer this barbaric world and bring it to the order it once knew! DOVAH! This sacrifice of sos allows you to RISE once more! Bring an oblaan to this pathetic human monarchy over this world, and qahnaar this Nahgahdinok! RISE, ZAHRAHMIIK!_" He explained to me, and began chanting.

To my shock, the very ground cracked, and an enormous skeletal dragon burst through the altar and floor. Everyone but Miraak staggered from the shockwave.

Before our eyes, Miraak took the soul of this dragon and returned it to him. The skeleton began regaining skin, and then scales, until finally a giant winged reptile towered over us.

Unlike most legendary dragons, Zahrahmiik was more serpentine in appearance, with black, smooth scales, and more fish-like fins on his back. He possessed no crest on his head, being smooth like a snake, and had a severe but powerful underbite that was accented by two enormous fangs protruding from it. In the legends, Miraak tamed Zahrahmiik to be his personal mount and messenger, and the dragon was famed for never having been killed in combat, unlike most of his compatriots. When Miraak was on the verge of death, he absorbed the soul of his faithful companion to ensure his survival, the bones of the dragon being buried in his temple, until the day in which his master would rise once again.

"_Morokei lord Miraak! You have risen, as have I!_" The dragon marveled at his resurrection, and I almost fainted. So it was true. Dragons had been capable of speech.

"_Yes, Zahrahmiik, we have returned. Eons have passed, but we have returned. Allow my new cult leader and Lorekeeper to give you all you need on the situation_." Miraak responded businesslike, and the dragon turned his attention to me. I removed my blindfold, and with a single glance the dragon knew everything that he needed to know.

"_Evgir unslaad…season unending…I see. My lord, I have assessed the situation, and we are more than capable of ending the Nahgahdinok to an end._" He turned his head towards Miraak again.

"_I know. However, this Cult is small. I require followers, and that requires attention. It is time that the Cult of Miraak returns to Spira, and I know just how to catch their attention._" Miraak nodded, and rose his hand towards the ceiling.

It cracked open, revealing the daylight to this ancient room, as Miraak then mounted Zahrahmiik.

"_Rebuild my Temple! Regain our former glory and sheer power_!_ Nobody will stand in my way as I rise to my destiny!_" He called out to me forcibly, drawing a black and greenish sword with tentacles writhing all over it, and Zahrahmiik took off into the sky. I looked at my fellow cult members silently for a moment. I broke the silence with two sentences.

"You heard Lord Miraak. Get to work."


	3. Morokei

"Darius. Darius Valte San Arquier." I answered quietly, the shuffling of chains and the screams of prisoners echoing throughout the halls.

"You're not a dood from these parts, are you, Mr. San Arquier?" The voice asked.

"No." I responded with a cough.

"Says here that you killed thirty Yevon soldiers, all of them elite veterans, in combat, dood." The voice continued, the shuffling of paper noticeable on his side.

"Actually, it was thirty-three. The other three didn't die until a week after, due to an incompetent healer." I smiled impetuously, and I grunted as a guard slapped me behind the head.

"I see…Mr. San Arquier, you've been locked up here for six months now. You've caused sixteen riots, killed three prisoners, and caused major damage to the structural supports of this prison, dood...and that's bad. Anyone else would've been executed in the most painful way possible the minute the conviction was decided…yet someone in the higher tiers of our government has some sort of liking for you. The most surprising part is that you have made bail. Someone somewhere scraped up over seven million gil that covered your cost and your pardon." With disgust, the voice continued, the word 'pardon' and 'bail' clearly distasteful for him.

"So…I'm free to go?" I asked with a smirk.

"Not so fast, smartass. When your 'guardian angel' shows up, THEN you get out of here, dood!" The voice screeched irritably.

"Do I get to meet my insatiably overbearing warden before I go?" I quipped again, and I had to fight back laughter.

A black Prinny jumped onto the rickety table, despite his peg legs, and struck a strange pose. He wore an army green military jacket, fatigues, and wore an eyepatch despite the fact he probably had use of that eye. Despite his gruff demeanor before, this excitable little bastard penguin started some monologue.

"I AM WARDEN GEORGE S. PRITTON, YOUR OVERLY STYLISH WARDEN AND BFF, DOOD! BASK IN MY AWESOMENESS!" He changed his pose several times while talking, a particular point of irritation on my part.

"George S. Pritton? That sounds too familiar…" I mumbled under my breath.

"Don't you just LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE my jacket? It's so STYLIIIIIIIIIIIISH! Right? RIGHT! RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT?!" He slid over to me, continuing his ridiculous poses.

"Your jacket looks like you got it out of a swamp, you pompous moron. Can I go now?" I rolled my eyes.

"WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHAAAAA?!" His eyes were like dinner plates, and he was so shocked by my (true) statement he fell off the table.

As he was swearing and flipping out, a pair of guards showed up and took me away. I could tell that idiot didn't even notice.

"Goodbye, George S. Dumbass…" I snickered, taking one last look back at the interrogation room.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

At the guard's request (demand), I cleaned out my cell, and they promptly allowed me to dress in my original clothes and armor, giving me all of my gear back as well.

I wasn't surprised to see the familiar yellowish pointed hat as I walked out of Luca's prison.

The hat in particular belonged to a certain black mage, by the name of Verdel.

Her appearance was, if nothing, unusual. Wearing baggy pants that were striped blue and white, a blue trenchcoat with an especially bigger collar, a grey tunic that especially showed off her curves, black slightly-heeled boots, yellow-orange gloves, long and spiky blonde hair that lengthened almost to her waist, and a black and indescribable face that only showed two glowing yellow dots that were her 'eyes'. The outfit was set off by this especially big yellow hat that was curved and pointed at the end.

Verdel herself was waiting, leaning on her simple wooden staff that bore her hat.

"You're late." She greeted me with a silky voice, and I chuckled, slipping out a cigar.

"Sorry. The organization problems those idiots have are worse than I expected. They thought I was a mass-murderer, and that you bailed me out at seven million gil. Fucking chuckleheaded prinnies…thank you…" I slipped the cigar in my mouth, and I began walking with her as she lit my cigar with a flame kindled on her palm.

"No problem. I assume you got what we needed?" She continued, the sound of her staff tapping echoing throughout the docks.

"Yup. One of Miraak's Heartstones, just as I suspected. His influence is growing far more quickly than I originally expected." I nodded, slipping out a chunk of rock.

Shaped roughly like an orb, several cracks and crevice-like holes dotted the ends of the volcanic rock, crimson energy glowing brightly from those holes.

"Yes…reports of people going missing from towns, all of them building strange shrines to Miraak that contain these Heartstones, chanting his Mantra. Your nemesis has indeed returned." She answered, taking the stone from me.

"What of Willow? Where is she?" I asked suddenly, slipping out my map of Spira.

"She's fine. She's in Besaid, setting up a Ward. Assuming the Grimoire is correct, it will prevent this Necromancer and Miraak from causing as much trouble there, if at all. However, she is young and even at her powers…she's only at the journeyman level of training at best." Verdel responded, and tapped her staff three times.

A black portal opened up in front of us.

"Thought you were trying to not attract attention from the Necromancer by using your stronger spells." I commented.

"We don't have a choice. No ships are due for Besaid in the time we have, so we have to use the Ebonmere." She explained irritably, and led me through the portal. I followed tentatively, the particular feeling of darkness the Ebonmere had always disorientating and uncomfortably chilling. Hopefully it wasn't a long trip.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thankfully, it was shorter than I even hoped.

When we arrived on the beach, I saw Willow kneeling in the sand.

Clutching her ankh-tipped golden staff, she was softly chanting.

A series of cyan-colored symbols were drawn in the sand through her abilities. I took a look at the sixteen-year old teenager casting these powerful wards, and found myself still amazed at her progress.

Willow was certainly an interesting girl. I found her when she was only six, an orphan wandering the streets of Bevelle. I worried that she would ever function properly, after the abuse and conditions she went through.

However, she had something I never expected: Potential. Potential in the White Magic Arts that I had never seen before. She was able to cast powerful spells with the slightest training, picking up my lessons with seemingly photographic memory. Soon I had nothing left to teach her.

But what shocked me the most was that she had the potential of becoming a Summoner. However, this normally shy and meek girl was adamant that she would never go on the Pilgrimage.

She would never serve Yevon, the religion she hated more than anything. The reason why was that her parents were killed because of Yevon's "teachings". However, she insisted on gaining the power of the Aeons.

Despite my attempts to convince her otherwise, that the aeons would never choose someone with conviction like hers…I was again shocked when the aeon Valefor chose her.

I still don't know why she has this power, or what is going to happen as a result, but I still intend to protect her to the very end…

"…There. The binding is complete." She stood, the symbols fading.

Like many white mages I knew in my time, she wore an outfit predominantly colored white. However, her dress was far more unique in that it had golden symbols implemented into it.

A white sleeveless tunic that was conjoined with a golden shoulderplate, two black leather chokers, a necklace from which an ankh hung, and several gold bracelets on her arms. One in specific was shaped like two snakes wrapped around each other in eternal embrace, a family heirloom of hers.

She wore a white cloak that ended just as her shoulders began and hung from the same shoulderplate, and ended just where her feet did.

Her lower clothes consisted of a white skirt that went all the way down to her ankles, adorned on the front with a red and gold silk piece in the shape of a scarab, a belt-like gold piece that wrapped around her waist, and finally simple leather boots that rarely appeared from under her skirt.

Her physical appearance was that of an average teenage girl, aside from the red eyes and a scar underneath her left eye, and she had her auburn hair cut in a spiky pixie style, to ensure her hair wouldn't get in the way of casting spells. All in all, with her choice of attire and appearance, she was unmistakably a white mage.

"That's good…do you feel raindrops?" Verdel asked suddenly, and I reached out with my hand.

Sure enough, drops splattered on my hand in seconds…but something was wrong.

"This isn't water." I muttered, and I looked at the two mages in concern.

"…This…the ocean…!" Willow looked pale as she pointed as the water. The formerly clear blue water was turning red. Blood red.

"Blood. It's raining blood." Verdel quietly spoke, and I narrowed my eyes as I heard the roar of a dragon.

"Miraak." I growled.

"Where?!" Willow brandished her staff, her voice timid.

The sounds of his dragon, Zahrahmiik, were unmistakable…but they were echoing from all around us.

"There! Get down!" Verdel yelled, casting a sudden ward that blocked a scorching fireball headed our way.

I grunted as the force of the fireball's impact staggered us, but I managed to keep standing.

"_Ahh….Darius. It has been far too long._" I growled as Miraak himself appeared, mounted on Zahrahmiik, and greeted us as the great serpentine dragon landed in the water near us.

"Miraak. Only you would make it rain blood." I called out angrily, and he phased onto the beach, only a few meters away from us, and still standing in the blood-red sea.

Stepping forward, he was suddenly stopped as Willow's wards pushed him away.

"_Wards? A valiant effort at keeping the Nahgahdinok out, but child's play for me._" Miraak laughed mockingly as he touched the barrier. To our collective shock, it shattered as he absorbed the power.

"T-That should keep undead like you out!" Willow gasped, still pointing her staff at him.

He tapped his golden mask with smug laughter, and stepped towards us.

"Get back! I'll handle him…!" I drew my dual swords, both of them Caladbolg-like, yet black and gold, and charged him with a leaping strike.

"So overeager. So weak." Miraak sighed whimsically as he effortlessly blasted me with electricity from his hand, sending me flying into the sand.

"**Flare**!" Veldel rose her staff, and a fury of tectonic and pyronic energy burst out of her staff, streaking towards him.

"Ah, I've heard much of you, Verdel. The greatest black mage in this time period. I expected someone more attractive." He smiled, and absorbed the blast with his hand outstretched, none the worse for the power she had unleashed.

"**Holy**!" Willow cried out, and a white blast of energy cascaded from her staff towards him.

"Ah, intuitive. You assume holy magic would be effective…but you are wrong." He turned aside the blast, deflecting it into the ground nearby and putting a crater into the beach.

"My turn." Miraak whispered, and phased behind the two as I staggered to my feet.

"**Osmosis**. Let us see how you fight without your petty abilities." He gripped both Verdel and Willow by their throats, easily absorbing all of their MP and their ability to fight.

"MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIRAAK!" I leapt again, flipping in the air several times as my swords came down with powerful force towards Miraak's head.

"You really are becoming a nuisance. **Thundaga**!" A bolt of lightning slammed me into the ground, my swords tossed aside into the sands next to me.

"Let…go!" Verdel demanded angrily, and Miraak threw them both into the sand nearby.

"Foolishness, Darius, foolishness. You lost the first time, and you had Cosmos on your side. I may no longer serve Chaos, but I have his power! You are little more than an insect to me now. This is the only warning I give you. Stay out of my affairs, or else. If you steal another Heartstone from me, you will suffer dearly. As will your friends." Miraak walked past me leisurely, having not even broke a sweat or tiring himself through his combat with the three of us.

As I fought to look up, electricity coursing through my body and practically paralyzing me, Miraak mounted Zahrahmiik.

"Goodbye, Darius…and by the way, I hear another Warrior of Harmony has arrived in Spira…perhaps I should pay him a visit as well!" I looked at him, and he knew he had called me out and struck on my last hope.

I had known the new chosen warrior of Cosmos was here, recovering from the 1st Cycle. No matter how strong this new one was, he was not prepared to face Miraak. I had made the mistake of underestimating Miraak's power, and now he has the power to conquer Spira.

"Goodbye, Darius…hope that we never meet again." He bid goodbye to us, and the dragon took off, disappearing into the sunset.

Almost immediately, the ocean returned to normal, the small amount of blood rain that came down changing into water as well.

"…M-Mira…ak…" I mumbled his name, before falling into unconsciousness.

_And so my tale began, as did the final battle of the two original warriors of the gods._


	4. Nakriin

"We lost. Miserably." Verdel commented, sitting on a stool.

"You don't need to tell me twice." I groaned, clutching my side.

We were in my house in Besaid, a large manor hidden in cove, far from view. While it was a chore getting to the village at times, at least I rarely had to worry about locking my doors.

I had barely managed to get the three of us off the beach and to my house before anyone noticed the commotion, although an enormous crater from Miraak's lightning was left in plain sight.

"Willow's still unconscious, so the planning is up to us now." Verdel continued soberly, and I finished changing out into dry armor and clothes.

"We need to find the new Warrior of Harmony." I announced quietly.

"Why? Whoever it is, he or she is dead when Miraak finds them. Someone who's only passed the first cycle of the war wouldn't last a minute against that bastard." She looked confused and disbelieving, and I waved her off.

"Which is why we need to help him. The Chaos-Borns are the least of his problems at this point. Miraak defeated a seasoned former warrior of Harmony, the foremost expert in Black Magic, and one of the most powerful Wardmakers in history without even taking the battle seriously, and he's not even fully released from Apocrypha yet. If we don't help this new warrior, he'll be dead before he realizes what's really going on." I explained, but a flash of light caught my attention.

Cosmos, Goddess of Harmony, stood before us.

"Darius. It's been a long time." She spoke softly, in that same absent-sourced voice of hers.

"Cosmos. How typical." I growled under my breath.

With a nod, Verdel silently left the room, leaving the two of us alone.

"The man you're looking for goes by the name of Kel. He is my new champion of Harmony, and the victor of this cycle. He's heading for this very—" She began, but I cut her off.

"Don't you dare…don't you dare try to play your games with me. The only reason, the ONLY reason, I'm even considering helping this Kel is because we need him. Not because I feel any loyalty at all towards you." I rose my hand, pointing at her with venom dripping from my words.

"Darius, I—" I cut her off again, and continued.

"You betrayed me. You left me to die there. When Miraak ripped my heart out in that godforsaken mine in Ivalice, and my power of Harmony keeping me immortal with it, I lost any faith I had in you." I turned my back to her, and slammed my fist against the wall.

"Darius…" She began, but faltered.

I whirled, ripping open my tunic and exposing the enormous scar on my chest, right over my heart.

"You look at me and tell me you're truly and honestly sorry. Look me in the eyes, and tell me there was nothing you could do!" I glared straight at her, but as I expected, she was unable to look me straight in the eyes.

I scoffed, rezipping my tunic and turning from her.

"…You're going to tell me where Kel is. And then you're going to tell him that I'm looking for him. And after we finally meet, we're never going to speak again. I'm not going to let you play your mind games on me, Cosmos. I learned a long time ago that you're worse than Chaos when it comes to that." I quietly finished, and leaned against the counter for support.

"If that is what you wish." She consented after a few minutes of silence passed, and turned to leave.

"Cosmos. What is happening on Gaia?" I suddenly asked.

"Hmm?" She answered with curiosity.

"The world was never remade. If anything, it's in further ruin than before. This Enclave has completely ravaged the Planet, far from what I'd think you'd call 'Harmony'." I explained darkly.

"…Someone or something has interfered with Shinryu and the Purification. I'm not entirely sure what, but my…envoy there assured me that she has the problem under control. Soon, it will be as it should be." She responded matter-of-factly.

"…Fine." I answered gruffly.

"…Goodbye, Darius." She disappeared as she spoke, and I didn't answer.

Verdel reappeared moments later, and took a seat at the table.

"So what's the plan?" She asked quietly.

"Cosmos will tell me where this 'Kel' is soon. Then we find him and train him. Hopefully then we'll stand a chance against The Betrayer." I sighed, and walked out of the room without another word.

"…Darius…" Verdel whispered softly and sadly, watching me go.


	5. Rahgot

_I guess I should backtrack a little._

_My name is Darius Valte San Arquier._

_I was the first Warrior of Harmony, or at the first one known to most mortals._

_I was born and raised in a place called Ivalice, and lived there for much of my younger life._

_However…the day came that Cosmos chose me to become her Warrior…and Chaos chose the Spira-born Dragonborn and heretic named Miraak._

_For dozens of cycles we fought, under different banners and names._

_However, it was in the 182__nd__ Cycle that I met my defeat once and for all._

_Miraak ripped out my heart, my connection to Cosmos, and absorbed the power within. He left me to die in Spira, not even killing me in my native home._

_He soon betrayed and tricked Chaos as well._

_Then, to my knowledge, he was somehow overpowered and sealed away in Apocrypha, or the Farplane as mortals call it now._

_I survived with the aid of a Black Mage named Verdel, who implanted a powerful magic artifact within me to replace my heart. Since then she and I have been the best of friends._

_I regained measures of my lost life, and chose to live it to the fullest._

_While I wasn't able to truly return to Ivalice, I began searching for my brother Abraham, who apparently made a name for himself as well._

_I married a woman named Meryl, who was later inducted into the Cult of Miraak through his Heartstones…and who I've never seen again._

_In searching for her, I discovered a girl named Willow that was stronger in White Magic than any Summoner or practitioner I had ever met. While unable to control her powers, I adopted her and basically began training her to control her greater potential in the future. _

_And so, this brings me to the present._

_I knew Miraak had returned, and so thought I could at least beat him back into Apocrypha with Verdel's and Willow's help._

_I was wrong._

_He defeated the three of us easily._

_Although I had never trusted Cosmos after she left me to die, I knew that her Warrior was the best chance we had for fighting Miraak._

_And so my story begins again._

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"She said he was coming here, and to simply wait. Real fucking easy, right?" I muttered, lighting a cigar and taking a puff.

"Darius, you need to calm down. You've been on edge since Cosmos showed up." Verdel broke in, and folded her arms as she leaned against the wall.

I looked out at the sea, my secret home allowing a magnificent view of not only the beach, but a great deal of the island as well.

"I'm fine." I answered quickly, and took a puff.

"I received a message from the Paladins, Darius. Another dragon attack. This time, thirty people travelling through Mushroom Rock were killed. Innocents, Darius." She continued, and I tightened my grip on the handrail.

"I know. Survivors claimed that the dragon spoke, and that it was searching for the "Nahgahdinok". The same word that Miraak spoke when he attacked us." I answered quietly.

"It's an ancient language. Dragon Runes. It means—" Her voice was dead quiet.

"Necromancer. Nahgahdinok is "Necromancer". They're searching for a necromancer." I finished the sentence.

"Darius, we can't stay here. We might not be able to defeat Miraak, but we can try to help stop these dragon attacks! People are dying!" She blurted out, and approached me.

"And then what? Fight until Miraak decides we're too much trouble to keep alive? Then kill this Kel person? I know people are dying, but if we leap into action, especially when we're wounded already, more people are going to die than if we wait!" I exclaimed angrily.

"You can't know that for sure!" She argued, her tone seething with anger as well.

"I can know enough to make that decision, Verdel. We're waiting here, and that's final!" I snapped and stormed off, leaving her standing there along with a silently watching Willow.


	6. Otar

**Special BGM – Final Fantasy X : Patricide**

"_Ah…Bevelle. The home of the Yevon religion. A masterpiece of architecture, every building of it. Isn't it magnificent, Dani?_" Miraak spoke whimsically, looking out over the red-colored city and raising his arms.

"Yes, my lord. All the better for us to take it." I answered with a smile, gazing out at the city. Even through my blindness I could sense the life here.

"_Precisely. And soon, it will belong to us indeed. Zahrahmiik, it is time._" He nodded, and turned to his loyal dragon.

"_Of course, Master. I will tell the others. __**ALOK, DOVAH! ALOK**__!" _The dragon nodded, and let out an ear-piercing roar.

As we turned around, no less than thirty-five dragons and their riders, not including Zahrahmiik, roared back in affirmation, and took off into the sky.

I mounted another dragon, and took off into the sky as well. Miraak himself did so as well a few minutes later.

It was time. Time for the Cult of Miraak to rise once more.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

_Nobody had seen it coming._

_No time to react. No time to defend or prepare. No time to evacuate properly._

_So, it was pure and unbridled chaos when thirty-six dragons descended upon the great city, and immediately started breathing fire and ice upon it._

_Buildings were shattered and broken as the dragons slammed into them with their tails and fierce talons, rubble falling on the innocents below._

_What Yevon soldiers and defenses that managed to get outfitted and ready in time, were completely wiped out by the overwhelming force of their Shouts._

_Most frightening of all was the man in the armored robes, the one who wore the golden mask, for he Shouted and destroyed much of the temple of Bahamut, a sacred place in which Summoners had once prayed._

_Within three hours, the city was taken by the attackers._

_For, while destruction rained down upon us from above, their other cultists marched unhindered into the city. Ranging from indoctrinated and controlled farmers to hardline and loyal cultists, they were equally destructive in their intent._

_Regardless of point of view and part one took in that night, one thing cannot be disputed by anybody._

_It was a massacre._

_Blood and corpses littered the streets, the bodies of innocents and such littering the once pristine streets._

_While the attackers apparently suffered no casualties, we discovered later that about ninety-five percent of the inhabitants of Bevelle were slaughtered._

_The rest of us fled to Luca, an extremely long walk in which many were killed by fiends and bandits._

…_There is no Yevon. No god._

_What kind of god would allow this to happen?_

_So many innocents to die?_

_It is a lie._

_-Frederick Ducard, one of the few survivors of the Bevelle Massacre_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Miraak opened the door telekinetically, revealing the courtroom and Grand Maester Yo Mika.

"_Ah… Mika. It's been far too long, hasn't it?_" Miraak greeted him sarcastically, raising his arms in a grand flourish.

"Miraak…the Betrayer spoke of in our oldest legends of Yevon. A dark being who has done nothing but cause destruction and death in this world." The old man responded shortly.

"_You're one to talk. I may have been sealed in Apocrypha for all those years, but I still saw what was happening. So many summoners dying for nothing, and their souls now belonging to me._" The armored being laughed metallically, mocking the Maester's words.

"Begone, undead! You will be judged by Yevon for this atrocity." Mika retained his composure, and spoke as several armored soldiers arrived from other doors.

"_Ahhh…these are the Lennox Paladins I've heard so much about. Impressive._" Miraak looked around, the armored warriors numbering over a dozen.

"Begone!" Mika rose his voice, and the paladins moved in.

"_Impressive…but still very dead. __**Zun Haal Viik**__!_" The Dragonborn laughed, and Shouted, the sheer power of the Voice enough to shatter any glass nearby.

However, the true power was revealed when the dust cleared.

The Paladins were disarmed, their weapons pinned to the walls as if they were glued there.

"_Heheheheh…die, mortals!_" Miraak drew his own blade, a curved longsword with tentacles writhing around it, stemming from the base of the guard, and electricity crackled from his other hand.

Maester Mika watched as the defenseless group of elite Paladins were slaughtered by his fatal blows, breaking and cutting like wheat before the scythe.

Within five minutes, the force of thirty were all dead, their blood painting the ground and walls.

Miraak himself was also covered in blood, his boots and the edges of his robes dipped in the crimson liquid. His Mask was splashed with it as well, his sword dripping it. Turning to face the risen podium on which Mika stood, he cackled evilly.

"_Now do you see? Now do you see the death and destruction that has come? Spira will bow before Miraak before this is over! It's a pity you won't be there to see it. __**Wuld Nah Kest**__!"_ His Shout gave him incredible speed, enough to burst forward and slam into the old man, gripping him by the throat.

"…G-Gah…ahh…" Miraak's chuckling faded briefly as pyreflies filled the air, the Maester's body turning transparent.

"_Not so fast, Maester. You aren't getting away so easily. Besides, what makes you think Apocrypha is any safer? I rule there! No…you are defeated. Accept it, and become a part of __**me**__ now! __**Krii Lun Aus**__!" _The draft in the room picked up as Miraak Shouted once again, quickly becoming a whirlwind, the center of this sudden storm being the two.

Instead of escaping and fading, Mika's pyreflies instead were absorbed by Miraak, and the Maester uttered one last word of surprise, shock, and defeat.

"M-Monster…" As he spoke the last syllable, his entire body faded away into the pyreflies, all of which were then absorbed by Miraak. As this occurred, several cultists arrived, led by a sword-wielding Dani.

He stood there, his hand still raised, and began speaking after a minute of silence.

"_It is done. Bevelle is ours, and the Grand Maester is gone once and for all. Darkness has once again returned to consume Spira. All worlds begin in darkness, and all so will end. The soul is no different. Darkness sprouts within it, it grows…it consumes…in the end, all life returns to the darkness of the void from which it came! Spira has deluded itself into believing otherwise. Yevon and Sin were merely another method of ending this prolonged hell, but man resisted the end that they deserved…so now we are here, to put an end to this world once and for all. We will gain control over them…and exterminate them like the insects they are! This Nahgahdinok is nothing more than a pretender, a tool of the Destroyers of legend! Chaos was defeated, but his influence still remains in Spira. Cut off the head of the dragon that is Chaos, and then cut out the heart that is Harmony! These false deities must die, for Miraak's time has COME! __**FUS ROH DAH**__!"_ The entire building began collapsing as Miraak finished his speech and Shouted at the supports. The night sky was revealed as the roof and ceiling collapsed in the mist.

While the cultists stumbled about, Dani remained behind with him.

"What is our next move, my Lord? I have received word that Kilika was recently attacked by the Unbeing, the Necromancer Ether." She bowed, and Miraak turned to her.

"_Go to Besaid. The Mask of Azhidal is in grave danger, and I require more power. It is hidden within the deepest confines of the Cloister of Trials in their Temple. Be discreet, and do not attract attention. If any interested parties were to know that we are searching for my Masks, it could create…complications. Return here with the Mask, and I will tell you what to do next._" He ordered, turning to walk away as he finished his last sentence.

"Where are you going, my Lord?" She asked curiously.

"_Their Fayth, of course. Bahamut will be very useful, and I'm sure Yojimbo and Ifrit would appreciate the company._" He answered brusquely, and continue walking away.

"Hmm…now how do I get there? Flying there on a dragon is too noticeable and is bound to attract attention. So I'll take a boat from Kilika, I can fly there at least. But how am I going to get on the boat…they're suspicious enough with all these Chaos Born and dragon attacks. Perhaps I'll pose as a summoner, heading to Besaid for the Temple. That alone will get me into the Temple with little difficulty. However…I'll need different clothes, and someone or something to pose as my Guardian. Another Cultist is too noticeable, just one of us causes enough trouble, and I don't trust any of these backstabbing bootlickers to help with this. Perhaps my dog, Sceolang, will suffice. Not many people in those parts have seen a Husky before, though. Oh, well, best attend to the disguise part of this…ugh…something tells me that I'm going to end up wearing something stupid or too revealing. Those summoners always end up doing that." She thought to herself, pacing around the room in deep thought, sheathing her sword. The roar of her personal mount, Nuuveran, caught her attention, and she walked off to deal with her new mission.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

_**Bonus points to those who can figure out where the inspiration for Miraak's speech to the cultists came from :D**_


	7. Hevnoraak

_**Thanks for the recent influx of views and reviews, guys! Thanks, Kel, for putting a little note about me in your story, too! Anyway, just wanted to mention that if you have any questions, please PM them to me, because it's a lot more difficult on my computer to get to the review and reply section on my stories, than it is to simply answer PMs!**_

_**Thanks again!**_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"_Have we received news from Bevelle?"_

"_Nay. We have no contact from the company of elite Paladins we sent to protect the temple."_

"_What we do know is that Maester Mika himself is gone. We do not know how, but he is gone. The dragons have completely assimilated the entire city, and are securely roosting there. A direct assault would be…catastrophic."_

"_What of the excavation in Besaid? Any news from there?"_

"_Yes, actually. They found…well…they found something."_

"_What is it?"_

"_I believe the scholars onsite referred to it as a 'Repository'. They claim it was not left there by any particularly…human means."_

"_What, we talking dragons?"_

"_No. Something not entirely of this world."_

"…_I see. What exactly is this Repository?"_

"_It was apparently a very large and very well-sealed vault that was buried in the ground in a very careful and precise manner."_

"_And its contents were…?"_

"_Very large quantities of what the scholars called 'Spice'. However, this spice is not the kind of substance we know, as in the kind one may use for cooking. Apparently, each color of this substance denoted its usage, some being food ingredients or such."_

"_Anything else?"_

"_Yes. There were precisely ten 'capsules' also stored with the spice. We managed to open two of them, but the eight others refuse to open, and they clearly contain something other than the two we did open."_

"_What did the two capsules you opened contain?"_

"_The first contained…treasure. Lots of it. Jewels, gold, and more, all of them strangely designed and made. The second contained only a very old and very strange chest, its make very…similar to the architecture of the time of the Dragon Priests and their masters."_

"_I see. Did you open it?"_

"_Unfortunately, we can't. It requires some sort of offering to open."_

"_What kind of offering?"_

"_A soul."_

"_What?! A soul?"_

"_Yes. Dragon runes on the box specifically demanded that a soul be sacrificed to open the chest."_

"_Hmmm…we will provide you with a soul gem, so that you may open the chest when you return. The council expects a full report."_

"_Thank you, ma'am."_

"_You are dismissed, Knight Salvius."_

"_Thank you, ma'am."_

"_Hmmm…Kira, I would like to request that you make the trip to the Lucan coast. A certain individual, skilled in both the construction, upkeep, and usage of a crossbow, is living. His name is Blueyes, and his experience with hunting vampires in his own world will prove useful with our dragon hunting attempts."_

"_Yes, Grandmaster Jynna."_

"_Go, and quickly."_

…

"_What do we do, Grandmaster? High Paladin Mcginnis was killed in the defense of Bevelle, troop morale is lower than ever, and until we can get ahold of the crossbows, our bows are useless against dragons. They're too damn slow, and they require more focus and concentration."_

"_We don't give up, that's what we do. The Kliva haven't made any particularly heavy moves, as of late, and that gives us the time we badly need to prepare. Unfortunately, those dribbling buffoons holed up on that ridiculous fort in Kilika still refuse us entry. All those idiots do is sleep, eat fish, and complain."_

"_Well, they are prinnies, Grandmaster."_

"_I know. Let's just hope we make some progress, and soon."_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

_A week later…_

"Keep working, men! We're almost there!" A foreman exclaimed as several groups of men pulled ropes that were tied off at the shafts of the capsules of the vault.

The Besaid Excavation site was situated in a beach that was on the wilder and less travelled side of the island, a massive work that had reached several hundred feet before reaching the Repository. The vault itself had been painstakingly lifted out of the ground and placed on the beach, in order to make efforts at opening the sealed capsules less strenuous on the workers.

"So…do we do it?" Salvius asked, holding the pink crystal containing the soul in his hand, and looking at the excavated chest from the capsule.

"Well, Grandmaster Jynna did say to do it." Hughes, another paladin, responded dully, and leaned against a rock.

"I know…" Salvius sighed, tossing the crystal up and down, but his thought was cut off by the sounds of a woman's voice.

"You there! Are you the commanding officer here?" They looked over, and saw a woman dressed in summoner's robes walking over to the tent, a strange-looking white dog with light blue eyes padding behind her whimsically.

"Yes, yes I am. I'm Knight Salvius, and this is Knight Hughes. This is a Lennox-sanctioned excavation. May I ask you who you are?" Salvius answered with some hesitation, and extended his hand.

She was a strange sight, as many summoners were. She wore a long black skirt, simple black boots, a strapless one-piece black dress that exposed her shoulders and much of her back, and she also wore elbow-length gloves and a black blindfold. She had her pitch-black hair in a pixie-cut style.

"My name is Dani, and this is my dog Sceolang. I'm a summoner of the Yevon religion. May I ask what you're digging for? She answered his question quickly, and changed the subject.

"…We received some information about a possible dragon artifact hidden here, and the two of us were sent to oversee the excavation project." Hughes shrugged, and began explaining.

"I see. And this is one of your finds?" Dani pointed to the chest curiously.

"Yes. We recently obtained a soul gem that will open this chest and reveal what is hidden inside." Salvius held up the pink crystal as he spoke.

"I see. May I watch you two open it? I've heard about the wondrous artifacts of the dragon age, that while dark and dangerous at times, were truly masterpieces." She requested politely, her strange dog sitting on all fours patiently outside.

"I don't see a problem with it. You mind, Salvius?" Hughes smiled and spoke in a friendly tone.

"I guess it won't be a problem…" The other knight kneeled down, slowly pressing the diamond-shaped soul gem into the single slot that acted as the keyhole.

The box began glowing with a brilliant red light, and even burst into flame as the seals were unlocked within the chest.

_Azhidal_

The two paladins and the 'summoner' heard this, deep in their thoughts, spoken by an unnatural voice. The chest finally slammed open, revealing a simple but ornately forged mask. It was the color of aged bronze and rust, and covered the entire face when worn. Even the eye slits prevented the eyes of the wearer from being seen.

"I-Is that…?" Hughes gasped as he saw it.

"The 'Bitter Destroyer' existed, after all…" Dani commented quietly, and they both turned in surprise.

"Bitter Destroyer?" Salvius asked curiously and suspiciously.

"The dragons called it Azhidal, but you don't need to know that, since you won't be leaving this camp alive." Dani continued, smiling menacingly.

"Wha—" Before Hughes could even draw his sword or respond, Sceolang had gone for his throat and torn it out. Dani drew her own blade and drove it into Salvius' stomach seconds later, killing him almost instantly as she sliced upward into his heart.

"G-Gahhh…" He only uttered a gasp of shock as he fell to the ground.

"Sorry, but this belongs to my Lord." Dani grabbed the mask, and stepped outside with her dog.

The entire camp was in ruins, destroyed by dragons flying overhead.

One landed, Dani recognizing it as Bveldel, one of the oldest dragons.

"_It is done, then? We have Azhidal?_" His deep voice boomed out, and Dani nodded.

"Yes. I shall return it to him immediately." Dani responded with a bow, and gestured for the dog to follow as she mounted him.

"_Good. Our lord shall be pleased, for he is in a very angry state. He has learned that Cosmos possesses Dukaan. Hopefully the recovery of this mask will improve his mood._" The dragon took off into the air, continuing the conversation.

Below, only the charred remains of the excavators, the few Lennox guards sent to supervise dead as well.

The Repository was left there, forgotten by both sides.


	8. Episode I - Attack of the Dovah

"_You're sure?"_

"_Yes. I'm absolutely positive."_

"_But how did he survive without a heart?"_

"_Not quite sure. He seems to have a particular specialty for survival."_

"_I can see that."_

"_Either way, He'll make an interesting test subject, eh?"_

"_Yes, indeed…"_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 

"Darius!" I jolted awake at the sound of Verdel's voice.

"What is it?!" I groaned irritably, and looked out the window. It was the middle of the night, but something was wrong. There was a strange glow in the darkness…

"Dragon!" She simply responded, the explosion coming seconds later.

She was thrown across the room, against the wall. I myself was thrown out of bed, landing hard on the ground.

"Agh!" I grunted, and was on my feet in less than a few seconds.

It had apparently been a good thing to wear my armor to bed, after all.

I sneaked a peek outside, and saw Verdel had been right.

A dragon was flying around the beach, breathing searing gouts of flame upon the woods and sand.

I helped Verdel up after checking her, and noticed Willow had shown up as well.

"Damn it, we're the only ones who can fight this thing now. Anyone else would be at the village, and that's too far from here!" I drew my swords, and nodded at the two mages of opposite schools of magic.

"Right!" They both nodded and responded with enthusiasm.

"Let's go, before this damn thing causes any more destruction." I led them out of my damaged house, and rushed out onto the beachhead, where we had confronted Miraak only a couple days before.

"Dragon!" I called out aggressively, catching the large beast's attention.

It quickly flew to our position, landing in the water across from us.

"_So you are the nuuvier. The one Miraak wants dead._" It boomed out in the normal deep voice of the monstrous fire-breathing reptiles.

"Hmph, I can't say you're any different. He's controlling you, just like all the other dragons and humans." I crossed my arms and scoffed mockingly.

"_What you say is true. I do not serve Miraak willingly, but I serve him none the less. We will see who is the stronger of the two of us, human._" It responded, and roared in preparation for our battle.

"Looks like negotiations have ended." Verdel commented, stepping back with Willow.

"One on one, huh? I like those odds." I smiled, flourishing my blades.

"_Arrogance does not befit one who has fallen so low. __**Yor Toor Shul**__!_" The dragon roared, and Shouted at me.

"Fire breath." I instantly recognized the words in the Shout, and dodged as the blast of fire impacted the sand, putting a crater in the ground and knocking me back a few feet.

"_Impressive. You know our language…if but to an extent._" The dragon seemed, at the very least, amused by my action.

"Trust me, _dovah_, you haven't seen nothin' yet." I smiled, and rose my sword.

It began glowing with red energy, and I pointed it at him.

"**Shadowfell**!" I slammed my blade into the ground and watched as streaks of fire and shadow arced towards the great beast, creating quite an explosion as the impact was made.

"_AGHH! Filthy mortal! __**Yor Toor **_**Shul**!" The dragon screamed angrily, and sent another fireball my way.

"Sorry, I'm not in the mood to be torched, and I really am pressed for time. **Spiral Cut**!" I dodged the fireball, doing several expert twists and flips as I closed in on him, and I couldn't resist cracking a smile as my blade pierced his skull with ease, "killing" it almost instantly.

I covered my eyes as the beast collapsed, sending sand and dust everywhere from the force of the impact, and took my sword out of him.

"D-Darius!" Verdel stepped forward, marveling at the sight of the dead dragon.

"You actually…killed a dragon!" Willow was also awestruck, but I kicked the side of its head.

"Only temporarily. It'll be back within a few weeks, so I'll need your help getting rid of the corpse. If we leave it here, it'll be back sooner." I explained, cleaning my sword of the blood.

"What do you mean, 'back'?!" Willow exclaimed worriedly.

"Only Dragonborns like Miraak can truly kill a dragon, the process being that they absorb the soul of the dragon. Only then is a dragon dead." I continued, sheathing my swords as Verdel pointed her staff at the giant, winged lizard.

"**Warp**!" The black mage uttered the word, and the corpse was sent into the swirling vortex of the unknown.

Turning towards us as the body disappeared, she nodded.

"There. He'll be somewhere else in Spira when he returns, and hopefully we'll be long gone by then." Verdel smoothed back her long blonde hair, deftly twirling her staff.

"Good…we're running out of time, though. This dragon attack has proven that Miraak knows where we are, and he's trying to weaken us, or at worst kill us. So, this 'Kel' better be here soon…or we're going to have to leave." I muttered, pacing around the beachhead in deep thought.

"Right. So, let's get back to work on our plan, then?" Verdel suggested, and I nodded.

"Sun's coming up, so we'd better get out of sight and back into the house. Let's go." I began leading them back to the house, Willow taking a long look back at where the dragon's body was. Verdel seemed self-absorbed, probably in whatever new research or experiment she was conducting in her head. I myself was worried. I was playing tough in the end. Without a warrior of Harmony, we were completely helpless against Miraak.

What if Cosmos was lying about a new warrior coming here?

_What if this Kel never shows up?_

_What if he doesn't actually exist?_


	9. Episode I - Master of Fire

"_Dani…you have returned. And, you have the Mask._" Miraak announced as she stepped into the courtroom, now fashioned into a throne room for Miraak.

"Yes, my Lord. The Lennox Paladins were searching for it, until I managed to recover it with the help of the dragon forces you sent." Dani answered, bowing before him, and presented the ebony-colored mask to him.

It floated out of her hands and into his as she held it out, and Miraak took a deep breath as he held the mask.

"_Finally, the power of fire has returned to me, along with the powers of Chaos I took. Only two more, and I can return to Spira fully!_" Miraak laughed evilly, crushing Azhidal in his hands. The seemingly-invincible mask crumbled into dust easily, and fire consumed the Betrayer for several seconds. When it died down, he stood there, still laughing.

"_Dani…your new assignment is to go back to Besaid. Kill Darius Valte San Arquier and his friends, and then return. By then, I shall have ascertained the location of another Mask._" He ordered Dani, turning away from her after he finished.

"Yes, my Lord. It will be done immediately." Dani bowed, and walked off briskly.

"…_Heheheheheh…fire is mine. Soon, ice and lightning will be my domain as well._" The armored man chuckled to himself darkly, thinking of the destruction that was soon to come.

"My lord! My Lord! Someone has pierced the barrier and defeated Hiirav!" A cultist burst into the throne room and announced with the last of his breath.

"_I know._" Miraak responded nonchalantly.

"M-My Lord? But…" The cultist seemed confused at his lack of care towards the intruder.

"_If it is who I think it is, the boy will come to me. Do you not understand this?_" Turning, Miraak suddenly phased next to the cultist and roared angrily.

"Y-Yes, I do understand, my Lord!" He stumbled backwards, a look of terror in his eyes behind his mask.

"_Good. Find Zahrahmiik. Tell him to come to me, and to let the others know an intruder has come. I will be ready for this foolish mortal._" Miraak ordered, teleporting back to his throne.

As the cultist ran off, eager and fearful in his task, Miraak looked up at the destroyed roof and sky and chuckled.

"_Yet another Warrior of HARMONY will die by my hand today!_" He laughed, drawing his sword with clear anticipation of the chance to kill another of Cosmos' chosen.

_It was the beginning of the end._


End file.
